This invention relates generally to battery powered systems, such as lighting and radio systems, and more particularly, to a battery arrangement for a submersible device which is powered by batteries in a fluid-tight arrangement.
Battery-operated rescue lights and radio systems have found significant commercial acceptance and have proven themselves to be useful in saving lives, particularly at sea. One well known rescue light employs a housing which contains a strobe lamp and associated flash circuitry. The circuitry and the lamp are energized by a battery arrangement which is formed as a unit with a threaded closure. The closure is accommodated in an aperture through the housing and seals same whereby the sea water is precluded from entering the housing.
This known arrangement suffers from several drawbacks. First, the known battery apparatus is expensive. The closure, which generally is in the form of a brass end cap, is permanently bonded to the battery element, resulting in a rather high cost. Moreover, United States Coast Guard regulations require that the battery units be discarded after a predetermined period of time, illustratively on the order of one (1) year. Thus, the expense is incurred irrespective of whether the battery is used.
It is often desirable to carry additional batteries for the rescue lamp. However, in addition to the expense of the known battery arrangements, such arrangements are rather bulky and heavy, in view of the brass closure fitting bonded thereto. It is further problem with conventional battery powered systems containing polarity sensitive circuitry, the installation of the battery in reverse polarity will result in failure of the apparatus to operate, and may also cause damage to the circuitry and/or the battery. There is, therefore, a need for a replaceable battery system which avoids the problems associated with reverse polarization caused by incorrect installation of the battery.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive water-tight battery arrangement.
It is another object of this invention to provide a battery system for a rescue light which can easily and inexpensively be replaced.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a battery arrangement which can withstand immersion without damage or creating an electrical fault.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a battery system which has a long shelf life.
It is additionally an object of this invention to provide a battery system which provides a lengthened period of operation of a rescue lamp.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a sealed battery system for use in battery-operated devices which are subjected to immersion and corrosive environments.
It is yet another object of this invention to improve the duration of operability of battery-operated systems in hostile environments.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a battery system which precludes the formation of a reverse polarized circuit, so as to prevent useless and/or damaging discharge in a battery operated device.
It is yet an additional object of this invention to provide a battery system which precludes the formation of a reverse-polarized circuit, so as to prevent damage to polaritysensitive circuitry in a battery-operated device.